An ORM tool can handle many of the repetitive processes when interfacing with a database. Your project might call for an ORM tool such as ActiveRecord. No doubt about it, a good ORM can come in very handy. An ORM application will typically have a function for passing in raw SQL if needed, so you may not need to go straight to the driver.

Why learn to use the driver directly?

An ORM brings its own, different complexity to a project. It may be overkill for some projects. There are also times when a specific task is just different enough that an ORM may not be able to help, or its application to your requirements become so complex that your code becomes difficult to maintain.

And if you’re like me, it’s hard to be satisfied with a black box approach. You want to know more about how your tools work and you want to have options, just in case.